9 Best Cosmetic Stores in Lisbon

9 Best Cosmetic Stores in Lisbon

Nowadays, the majority of women in the world use cosmetics to look better. Many women and other professionals always require cosmetics not only for beauty but also for their work.

Many people are addicted to buying cosmetics and make-up products, just because they saw an advertisement. Wherever they go they need to buy something to feel satisfied and “fill the gap”.

In this article, we are going to present to you some of the best cosmetics stores you can find in Portugal, the capital city, Lisbon. Stay with us, so that you also know a little about the history of cosmetics and also get the best brands of cosmetics in stores with a wide range of choice.

Quick History of Portuguese Cosmetics

Face Cream

One of the most popular products that came to Portugal for face care was a combination of three ingredients: sheep wool lanolin without degreasing, starch, and tin oxide.

Lanolin was the basis of the mixture; starch made the skin softer, an ingredient that is still maintained in many cosmetic products; and tin which was responsible for whitening the skin.

These ingredients were combined to replace lead acetate, which was used in the Empire but had very harmful effects.

makeup store in Lisbon, sourced from wikipedia

Over the years other cosmetic products were developed to whiten the face of women. Some of them were made from plaster, lima bean flour, calcium sulfate, and albayalde, but this resulted in darkening the skin instead of lightening it.

Others invented a cosmetic with a base of vinegar, honey and olive oil, just as it was done for a while with dried melon roots which were applied as a poultice and the excrements of crocodile or starling.

Other ingredients used to whiten the face were beeswax, rose water, almond oil, saffron, cucumber, dill, mushrooms, olive oil, poppies, lily root, and egg.

Blush and carmine

makeup store in Lisbon, sourced from wikimedia

However, it was not enough to whiten their faces, but women also liked to wear bright red cheekbones, symbolizing that they maintained good health. They used red earth, henna or cinnabar to show off this red color, but there were also other cheaper options: blackberry juice or wine lees.

Besides the red cheekbones, the lips also had to be seen with intense color, for it used ocher that was extracted from lichens or mollusks, rotten fruits and even with minimum.

In this way, a certain ideal of beauty was created which the woman should have had. Many Portuguese women dedicated themselves to show big eyes and long eyelashes. To achieve this effect they used a small instrument made of ivory, bone, glass or wood, which they immersed in water or oil, was applied to the eye profiler, which was obtained with galena, soot or antimony powder.

The shadow of eyes was generally black or blue, for this they used ash or Zurita. Bringing also of the Egyptian culture, green shades were prepared with malachite powder.

Make-Up and Masks

Most of the cosmetic products could always be bought in markets. These came in liquid forms in small terracotta containers, green or blue glass cups or other small containers of different materials. The other thick cosmetics came in small chests of wood with carved drawings, along with mixing pallets, spatulas, pencils, brushes or sticks to apply them.

In order to be able to apply make-up, it was necessary and fundamental to have a mirror. In Europe, mirrors were made of metal (bronze, copper, silver or gold) and had well-worked handles in the same metal, bone or ivory.

However, achieving a white skin was not enough for European women; it was also a question of having an impeccable skin and complexion: without wrinkles, freckles or spots.

In order to achieve results like these, women wore masks during the night. Stain removal masks are made with fennel, scented myrrh, rose petals, incense, rock salt, and barley juice. To prevent or reduce wrinkles, rice masks and bean flour were applied; or they were washed several times a day with donkey milk.

The Beauty Secret

Since that time and still today, applying makeup and maintaining skincare has required a certain amount of time and some skills.

In addition, it was sometimes necessary to endure repulsive products at times; for example, when applying face masks with excreta, placentas, marrow or bile ingredients, which always had an unpleasant odor, but were accustomed to it. That is why women applied all this amount of products without being seen by their lovers.

Since then, women have used and replaced their cosmetic products to look more and more beautiful. Currently, chemical, organic and other products are used that allow women to obtain the colors they want and that allows them to stand out as they prefer.

Without a doubt, there are thousands of cosmetic products to make a woman look beautiful and thin.

makeup store in Lisbon, sourced from wikimedia

Currently, there are hundreds of brands of these products and hundreds of stores where you can buy them, but if you are in Lisbon, and want to buy some cosmetics to expand your range of makeup products, here are some of the best options you can consider to do so.

An advantage for the tourists who visit the Portuguese country is that they do not have to pay taxes, but if you want to ask if the store is entitled to free taxes and thus you can save money by buying their cosmetics.

1. Primor

Opening its new headquarters in Lisbon, Primor has been expanding its network in several European countries and cities. It is a Spanish chain dedicated to the sale of cosmetics and make-up products. It currently has more than 100 stores in Spain and is already opening field internationally, starting with this headquarters in Lisbon.

This first store in the Portuguese country is located in the Dolce Vita Tejo shopping center, which is located on the outskirts of the city. This store has had a good reception in Lisbon thanks to the fact that the chain was already commercializing with Portugal through its e-commerce with volumes of residual orders. 

2. Evabela

Evabela is one of the oldest cosmetic shops in Lisbon, has been on the market for more than 15 years and offers a wide variety of products of different levels of quality. In this shop, you can get national and international brands of different cosmetic and beauty products.

Located at Avenida João XXI, 10 D 1000- 302

This store has trained staff that can assist you with excellence in terms of the products offered and others of general interest. You can find all kinds of products related to cosmetics such as toiletries, beauty, home, lingerie, cosmetics, perfumery, makeup and articles for hair. You can also find different brands, some national and others international with different levels of quality.

3. Pluricosmetica

By Skitterphoto from Pexels

Another of the leading stores in the Portuguese cosmetics market is Pluricosmetica. This store has to order different brands and products related to cosmetics, hair products, aesthetics, makeup, accessories, equipment, and perfumery. In addition, not only do they have more than 70 stores in Portugal, but they also have an online store: pluricosmetica.com.

Pluricosmetica not only focuses on selling cosmetic products to satisfy its customers but also focuses on training people. These have a Pluri Institute, which was founded as a Technical Center that is responsible for supporting and promoting vocational education with a new approach, based on current market trends in the sectors of hairdressing and aesthetics. This institute teaches courses in the areas of Hair, Facial Aesthetics, Nails and General Aesthetics.

Pluricosmetica is definitely more than a cosmetics store. It is a company that frames its customers’ businesses with proactivity and dynamism, as well as providing knowledge in its specialist areas, supporting the beauty and cosmetics sector in Portugal. It offers products of professional quality, good prices, offers, and specialized service. In any of its stores, you can find products of cosmetics, hairdressing and aesthetics, furniture, robes, accessories, and so on.

Find these brands:

Wella, L’Oreal, Schwarzkopf, Revlon, Wet Brush, Anadia, Elegance, Kelly K, Ciolia, Golden Rose, Dr. Konopka’s, Natura Siberica, Hunter 1114, Manic Panic and Organic Shop.

They also sell exclusive brands such as Farmavita, which is a hair products manufacturer and is consolidated in more than 40 countries.

4. Douglas

Being one of the largest cosmetics and perfumery chains in Europe in terms of a number of stores, there is Douglas, a German chain that has its cosmetics and perfumes stores in different parts of the world. However, not all of them have the same benefits. For example, many tourists who come to the store in Lisbon say that you get offers and kits that you don’t see in other parts of the world. 

In addition, Douglas also has an online store, which may have some lower costs than in the same physical stores. But you could talk to the sellers and explain the situation to them and they could give you a discount. Also, if you’re a tourist you can opt for the tax-free option and save a little more money. 

5. El Corte Ingles

Por Diogo Almeida – Obra do próprio, Domínio público, Wikimedia common

El Corte Ingles comes from a chain of department stores in Spain that sell everything about cosmetics and beauty products. Its perfumes and cosmetics section is one of the most attractive, although its prices are not the lowest in the market. You can find this shop in Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar, in Lisbon, Portugal. 

El Corte Inglés is a Spanish department store and sells everything. It has a very interesting perfumery and cosmetics section, but prices are not the cheapest. The advantage of El Corte Inglés is the variety. So, if you didn’t find what you wanted in other stores, it’s worth stopping by.

6. MAC

MAC stores don’t need so much introduction or advertising. You can find several of these stores in some of Lisbon’s shopping malls and on other main streets. However, if you prefer to save a little you can look for the brand’s products in online stores and these may be cheaper than their own stores. It’s advisable for you to find it in Colombo Shopping Mall.

7. Kiko

Kiko stores come from an Italian cosmetics chain which has a great impact on the European market. The prices of their products are usually lower than those of MAC and the cosmetics they offer are of good quality. It’s better if you could reach them at Baixa Chiado shopping mall.

8. Sephora

Having its origin in France, Sephora is one of the most reputable cosmetic stores in Europe and therefore in Portugal. Its shops in Lisbon offer all kinds of cosmetics: make-up, perfumes, body creams, dermo-cosmetics, etc. 

9. The Body Shop

If you’re looking for body and hair care products, then you should visit The Body Shop. In this shop, you can find promotions and offers on their products such as body creams or other hair cosmetics.

Besides all these stores we mention here, there are other sites in Lisbon where you can buy good quality cosmetics and good prices. Some of these sites are Continente supermarkets. In Rede Pingo Doce you can also find some products, especially for hair care. You can find these stores in shopping centers in Lisbon such as Colombo and Vas da Gama.